Jeremy Corbyn's appointment of left-winger John McDonnell as Shadow Chancellor is a statement of intent

Some moderate Labour MPs had said they were willing to serve in a Corbyn team on the explicit condition McDonnell did not get that post. In the past he has said IRA terrorists should be "honoured" for taking part in their "armed struggle"

Some moderate Labour MPs had said they were willing to serve in a Corbyn team on the explicit condition McDonnell did not get that post. In the past he has said IRA terrorists should be "honoured" for taking part in their "armed struggle."

And as recently as 2012 he proposed a 60% income tax on those earning more than £100,000 and called for a 35-hour week, while his Who's Who entry includes his pastime as "generally fermenting the overthrow of capitalism."

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn leaves his home in north London by taxi on Sunday (Image: PA)

Unsurprisingly, the Tories were quite to go on the offensive, saying his appointment confirms "Labour are a big threat to our economic and national security."

Many in the Parliamentary Labour Party who would have been willing to give Mr Corbyn the benefit of the doubt will find this an appointment too far.

There was also anger that the top five jobs: Leader, deputy leader, shadow Chancellor, Shadow Foreign Secretary and Shadow Home Secretary have all gone to men.